1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing apparatus and a fixing method both of which fix a toner image onto a record medium. The present invention also relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copier, printer, facsimile, or other fixing apparatus, and an image forming method and a record medium recycling method.
2. Discussion of the Background
A background image forming apparatus such as a copier, a facsimile, or a printer fixes a toner image onto a record medium with heat, to make a copied or a recorded medium. The toner image is fixed onto the record medium, because the toner melts and softens and permeates into the record medium by heating the toner image and the record medium conveyed while being nipped.
FIG. 56 shows the structure in a background image forming apparatus. This apparatus includes image forming devices A, B, C, D forming toner images thereon, an intermediate transfer member E, first transfer members E1, E2, E3, E4 transferring the toner images to the intermediate transfer member E, a second transfer member F transferring a toner image onto the record medium by electrostatic power, a fixing apparatus including a heating fixing roller G1 with a heater and a pressing roller G2 forming a nip between the heating fixing roller G1 and the pressing roller 62.
FIG. 57 shows a structure disclosed in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 10-63121. The structure includes an intermediate transfer member 100, a driving roller 101 driving the intermediate transfer member 100, a heat source 102 in the driving roller 101, and a pressing roller 103 contacting and pressing against the intermediate transfer member 100, to form a nip between the intermediate transfer member 100 and the pressing roller 103. The structure also includes image forming devices 105 and first transfer members 106.
According to this structure, the toner image is heated before approaching the nip, then the heated toner image is transferred and fixed onto a record medium 104 in the nip by heat, but not by electrostatic power. Thereby, it is possible to heat the toner image longer.
However the structure published in JP 10-63121 does not solve problems associated with transferring and fixing the toner image onto a record medium after heating the toner image. Further this structure does not show effective application in such a case.